Dual Cultivation

"Xiao Yang...?" When Senior Zhong heard Xie Xingfang mention him, his eyes widened in shock from realization.

He couldn’t believe that he’d miss something like this, especially when he’d met with him just some time ago today. However, this Sword Intent was much stronger than the Sword Intent used by Xiao Yang previously; it was on an entirely different level.

"Y-Young lady, speaking of that Xiao Yang... he’s actually within Snowfall City right now..."

Xie Xingfang immediately turned to look at Senior Zhong with wide eyes.

"Are you certain about that?!" she asked him in a loud voice, even slamming the table from excitement.

"..."

Xie Xingfang’s sudden outburst startled the entire room, causing everybody there to look at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"E-Excuse me..." Xie Xingfang blushed when she realized that she’d reacted too rashly.

"Senior Zhong, you also know of this Xiao Yang?" Lord Xie asked him.

"Slightly..."

Lord Xie smiled inwardly upon hearing that. Instead of bugging his daughter, he can simply ask Senior Zhong about this Xiao Yang now.

"Tell me about this Xiao Yang," he wasted no time asking.

Senior Zhong nodded and began explaining to Lord Xie his encounter with Xiao Yang, recalling how he helped them kill someone from the Moonlight Blades.

The explanation only took a few minutes at most, as their encounter was quite short.

"That’s it?" Lord Xie was dumbfounded by such an insignificant story. If their encounter was as Senior Zhong had described, why is his daughter acting as though he was her secret partner?

"But... the Profound Blossom Sect? Are you sure about that?" Lord Xie didn’t know what to feel about this news.

As the Lord of the Eastern Continent, of course, he’s aware of the infamous Profound Blossom Sect and their sexual nature. However, this only made the situation even more puzzling, as there should not be such an expert in that kind of place.

"Although I also doubted it when I researched that place, I saw him at the city’s entrance today, and he was with the Profound Blossom Sect, even wearing their disciples’ robes," said Senior Zhong.

After departing with Xiao Yang and returning home, Senior Zhong immediately began researching on the Profound Blossom Sect. However, when he realized the kind of place the Profound Blossom Sect was, he figured that Xiao Yang had lied about his background, presumably to protect his identity, as there was no way a Sword Master would be present in a place that focuses on dual cultivation.

"The Profound Blossom Sect..."

Xie Xingfang blushed upon hearing this name. Of course, she also did her own research, as she was too curious about Xiao Yang to ignore it. However, she did not believe for one second that Xiao Yang would come from such a place, especially when he had such a noble and elegant demeanor.

"Well, it’s quite easy to figure out if he’s truly from the Profound Blossom Sect or not."

Lord Xie stood up from his chair and continued speaking, "I will meet with them personally."

"What?!"

Everybody there expressed shock upon hearing that Lord Xie would approach someone first. Given his exalted status, one would expect him to send a summoning notice to the Profound Blossom Sect so they would approach him, not the other way around.

"I-I want to come with you!"

Xie Xingfang also stood up. This could be a chance for her to see Xiao Yang again.

"No, you will stay here."

However, Lord Xie rejected it instantly.

"If Father is going, then I am, too!" she stared at him with a resolute expression. She simply couldn’t allow this chance to go away so easily.

"Lord Xie, it might be a bit inappropriate for you to go..."

"He’s right, Lord Xie. If anything, one of us can go in your stead."

The people in the room began giving their suggestions.

Lord Xie turned silent, and after pondering for a moment, he nodded.

"Very well. Senior Zhong, since you are the most familiar with this Xiao Yang, I would like you to meet with the Profound Blossom Sect to see whether or not he is really with them."

He then turned to look at his daughter and said, "If I stay, then you will stay, too."

"..."

Xie Xingfang looked at him with a slightly angry expression for a moment before saying, "I am returning to my room!"

Lord Xie smiled bitterly as he watched her daughter leave the place with an unhappy expression. She was only but a child the last time he’d seen her acting in such a manner. And with so many people present, nevertheless.

"I will accept this mission," said Senior Zhong.

A few moments later, just as Lord Xie returned to his seat, his communication jade slip trembled, and the news of someone causing chaos within the city finally reached his ears.

"A Sword Master had openly ignored the city rules and committed murder in broad daylight?"

Lord Xie was taken aback by this news.

"So that’s the reason for the Sword Intent just now..." Lord Xie shook his head inwardly.

"Apparently someone had committed murder in my Snowfall City, killing a sect elder from the Golden Altar Sect."

Lord Xie decided to share this information with everybody there.

"Who would dare?"

"A sect elder from the Golden Altar Sect? This killer must be quite skilled to be able to kill a sect elder from that place."

The people in the room were in disbelief. Only an utter idiot would commit such a crime during this time.

"The suspect also happens to be a Sword Master..."

"What...?"

The place immediately turned silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

"It can’t be..."

In the entire room, Senior Zhong was the most dumbfounded by this news.

"If you happen to meet this Xiao Yang, bring him here for questioning," said Lord Xie.

"I understand."

Although Senior Zhong did not immediately think Xiao Yang was guilty, he did find the sudden Sword Intent just now very weird and out of place. What’s more, it’s still not certain that the Sword Intent belonged to Xiao Yang in the first place.